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Part 6: 3 John: Myths About Church

ONE HIT WONDERS

PART 6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

3 John 1:1-14

“The elder, to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

3 John 1:1-4 (NIV)

“Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.”

3 John 1:5-8 (NIV)

  • Gaius - A Christian who was:

    • Christ-centered

    • Helper of God’s work.

    • Generous to God’s work.

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”

3 John 1:9-11 (NIV)

  • Diotrephes - A Christian who was:

    • Ego-centered

    • Hindrance to God’s work.

    • Used the Church.

KILLING THE MYTHS OF WHY CHURCH IS HERE

  • Stop being consumers and become contributors.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:8-10 (NIV)

  • The church’s role is equipping, our role is bringing.

“To equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Ephesians 4:12-13 (NIV)

  • Giving is an essential act of worship, it is not dues or charity.

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NIV)

“Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.” 3

John 1:11 (NLT)

MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:

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This week’s Reading Plan and blog/podcast:

  • YouVersion® Bible App Reading Plan: “Consumed: Living for God’s Glory” (5 days)

  • Blog and podcast: “3 John: A Story of Three Christians”

 
One Hit WondersDr. John Gerlach